How to Set Up a 7 Days to Die Dedicated Server (V3 Guide)

Blood moon hits on day seven, and it is a bad time to find out the person hosting the world has gone to bed. A dedicated server keeps the map, the bases and the horde night schedule running whether or not anyone is logged in.

This guide covers installing the 7 Days to Die dedicated server with SteamCMD, editing serverconfig.xml, opening ports, adding admins, backing up saves and fixing the usual problems. It is written for V3 ("Dead Hot Summer"), which changed how gameplay rules are set on a server. The latest stable release posted on 7daystodie.com is V3.4.0. Details move between versions, so check the official V3.0 release notes if something here does not match what you see.

Why Run a Dedicated 7 Days to Die Server?

The world keeps its own clock: Day counts, horde nights and airdrops depend on the server running. A host who logs off should not stop the survivors from looting or rebuilding.

Your PC stays free: The Steam store page for the game says that running a dedicated server and a client on the same computer roughly doubles the RAM requirement. A separate machine avoids that.

You set the rules: Server name, password, world, player count and the gameplay ruleset are all yours.

Mods on your terms: Modlets can be dropped into the server's Mods folder, as long as everyone runs the same version.

What You'll Need

• A server machine running Windows 10 or 11, or Debian or Ubuntu Linux
• SteamCMD, or the "7 Days to Die Dedicated Server" tool from your Steam library
• Disk space: the dedicated server is roughly a 12 GB download, per the 7D2D community wiki, and saves and generated worlds add to that
• RAM and CPU: The Fun Pimps do not publish server specs. The Steam page lists 8 GB minimum and 12 GB recommended for the game itself. Community guides say the server leans on single-core speed, so clock speed matters more than core count
• Port access: 26900 and the two ports above it, covered below
• A text editor and some patience with XML

Step 1: Install the Dedicated Server

The dedicated server is its own Steam app, ID 294420. The game itself is 251570, and you do not need to own it to download the server tool.

On Linux with SteamCMD

Install SteamCMD, then run:

./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /home/sdtd/7dtd-server +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quit

validate checks every file. Use it on the first install and after any failed update. The server needs 32-bit libraries on Debian and Ubuntu, so if it refuses to start, install lib32gcc-s1 and libsdl2-2.0-0:i386 first.

On Windows

Open the Steam client, switch the Library filter to Tools, and install 7 Days to Die Dedicated Server. Or use SteamCMD:

force_install_dir C:\7dtd-server
login anonymous
app_update 294420 validate

Experimental builds

To run a different branch, add -beta before validate, for example app_update 294420 -beta latest_experimental validate. Players must be on the same version as the server, so use branches only when your whole group agrees.

Step 2: Copy and Edit serverconfig.xml

The install ships with serverconfig.xml. Updates can overwrite it, so make a copy (for example my-server.xml) and edit that. Start the server with:

./startserver.sh -configfile=my-server.xml

On Windows, edit the copy and point startdedicated.bat at it the same way.

The properties most people change:

Property	What it does
ServerName	The name shown in the server browser
ServerPassword	Leave empty for an open server, set it for a private one
ServerMaxPlayerCount	Player slots. The shipped value is 8
ServerPort	Game port, default 26900
GameWorld	Navezgane for the handmade map, or RWG for a random world
WorldGenSeed	The seed used when GameWorld is RWG
SaveGameFolder	Where saves go, so point it at storage with room to grow

The developers do not publish a maximum for ServerMaxPlayerCount in anything we could open, so treat any figure you read as a community number and test your own machine.

Random worlds take a while

An RWG world generates on first start and can take a long time. Navezgane is ready right away. V3.0 changed world generation, so worlds from older versions may not carry over cleanly.

Step 3: Set Gameplay Rules with SandboxCode

This is the change that trips up most V2 admins. In V3, about 30 old properties (difficulty, XP, blood moon cadence, loot abundance, zombie speed, drop on death and more) were removed from serverconfig.xml. They are now bundled into one property:

<property name="SandboxCode" value="AAAJABJACJADJARFBNC"/>

That value is the shipped default and matches the old Adventurer difficulty, according to the V3.0 release notes. You cannot write a code by hand. Set the options you want in the in-game Sandbox Options menu, copy the code it gives you, and paste it into the SandboxCode value. The 7D2D community wiki also describes a SandboxCode migration guide and a browser generator.

GameDifficulty is gone as a standalone property. If an old config still sets it, the server starts without complaint and the setting does nothing. Check blood moon timing and loot after the first boot to confirm your rules took.

Step 4: Open Your Ports

Port	Protocol	Use
26900	TCP + UDP	Game port (ServerPort)
26901-26902	UDP	Game traffic
8080	TCP	Web dashboard, only if enabled
8081	TCP	Telnet, only if enabled

If you change ServerPort, the two UDP ports move with it. A port of 26920 uses 26921 and 26922. Forward the ports on your router to the server's LAN address, allow them through the host firewall, and ask a friend outside your network to connect to your public IP on 26900.

If it still fails, you may be behind CGNAT. Compare the address from curl ifconfig.me with the WAN address shown in your router. If they differ, port forwarding will not work from home. You need a public IPv4 address, IPv6, or a rented server.

Step 5: Add Admins

Admins live in serveradmin.xml. Add each person by their 64-bit SteamID and keep the list short. Everyone on it can run console commands, including destructive ones.

Step 6: Lock Down Telnet

Telnet is the server's remote admin console, and it is enabled by default in the shipped config with no password. On a server reachable from the internet, set TelnetPassword before you open port 8081, or turn TelnetEnabled off. The web dashboard (WebDashboardEnabled, port 8080) is off by default and can stay that way unless you want it.

Step 7: Mods

Modlets go in a Mods folder inside the server directory. Larger overhauls such as Darkness Falls and Undead Legacy are tied to specific game versions and often lag behind a new release, so pin your server to the matching version and do not update the game mid-run. Mods are your responsibility to keep compatible, and every player needs the same ones.

Backing Up Your World

The sources we found do not name a default save path, so find yours by checking SaveGameFolder in your config and the server's startup log. Stop the server cleanly first so the world finishes saving, then copy the whole save folder somewhere else. Back up before every game update and before switching branches, and test a restore now and then.

Updating the Server

Run the same app_update 294420 validate command with the server stopped. Your players update their games through Steam. If you play with mods, check that they support the new version first, since a game update can break a modded server.

Troubleshooting

Players cannot see the server: Check the ports, check CGNAT, and try connecting by IP and port. Direct connect works even when the server list is slow to show you.

Version mismatch on join: The server and every client must be on the same branch. Compare versions in Steam under Properties, then Game Versions & Betas.

Rubber-banding and zombie lag: Community guides blame low clock speed. Check CPU use during a horde night and RAM use as the map grows.

Settings seem ignored: On V3, gameplay rules come from SandboxCode. Removed properties are silently skipped.

Server will not start on Linux: Confirm the 32-bit libraries are installed, then rerun app_update 294420 validate.

Crashes after an update: Roll back with -beta and a previous version name if you have a backup, then check whether your mods have updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to own the game to run a server? No. The server is its own Steam app (294420) and installs with an anonymous login.

How many players can I have? The shipped ServerMaxPlayerCount is 8. We could not find an official maximum, so raise it gradually and watch your CPU and RAM.

Does the server need port 8081? Only if you use telnet from outside the machine. If you do, set a password first.

Can I keep my old V2 world? V3.0 warns when loading older saves, and you must recreate your old rules with a SandboxCode. Back up first.

7 Days to Die Hosting on EZ Game Host

If you would rather skip the SteamCMD, firewall and XML work, EZ Game Host offers 7 Days to Die server hosting on Ryzen 9950X cores and NVMe storage, with DDoS protection and a 99.9% uptime SLA. Plans start at Standard (8GB, 8 players), and all plans include 3 backup slots, a panel with console, file manager and schedules, and 24/7 support. Ports are opened for you, and you set your player count at checkout, then edit serverconfig.xml through the file manager. Pay monthly and cancel any time.